Question from Bonnie Johnson

Hi Friends

I have noticed a ton of adds for the Aero Garden . Any idea how safe it is to eat those herbs and veggies? I worry about anything that grows without dirt but I spend a fortune on organic herbs etc and it looked like a neat idea.

Bonnie Johnson

Debra’s Answer

This is one of those products with pros and cons.

One the one hand, it allows you to grow fresh herbs and vegetables indoors anywhere, with no soil or sun. Can’t get any more local than that.

On the other hand, it’s a lot of plastic, and completely artificial conditions. Plants get “life factors” from soil, sun, and rain that can’t be duplicated in an artificial environment, so what kind of nutrition and vitality will these plants have?

I think health is better served by eating plants grown out in a natural ecosystem.

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Question from Colleen

Is this a problem in other commonly plastic kitchen/bathroom products? I’m looking at our plastic Mr. Coffee maker and electric tea kettle which DH got for me after I burned up 2 on the stove. Thanks

Debra’s Answer

Bisphenol-A is only a problem in products made from polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin. Clear plastic water bottles and the linings in food cans are the two major exposures. Polycarbonate plastic is found in non-food products such as clear packaging materials, but these are not considered sources of risk because the product is not ingested.

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Question from Tracey Hiner

Dear Debra,

I need to make a natural dusting aid for a customer and what I found suggested using Murphy’s Oil Soap as one of the ingredients. Do you think I could substitute a natural liquid glycerin soap or natural liquid castile soap?

Thanks,

Tracey

Debra’s Answer

I think you could substitute any liquid soap for Murphy’s.

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Question from Samantha

Dear Debra,

My husband and I are in the process of renovating our bedroom. I really wanted a feature wall to “feature” a damask-style wallpaper. I was distressed to discover that the wallpaper I fell in love with, and based the whole room around, was solid vinyl. Further searching revealed nothing but vinyl or vinyl-coated paper. I am pregnant, plan to breastfeed and co-sleep in this room so I am obviously concerned about the off-gassing from vinyl. Am I right to be concerned? Is the off-gassing a long-term problem?

A web search of non-vinyl wallpapers revealed only one company -Mod Green Pod. Their designs are not to my taste, so is that it? Do you know of any other companies that sell wallpapers that are not toxic?

I have also considered covering the wallpaper with an AFM safecoat product but I’m unsure of the result since their finish appears to be glossy. I am not in a position to buy the vinyl wallpaper just to test the results with the AFM product. Do you or any of your readers have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance,

Samantha in Toronto, Canada

Debra’s Answer

You are right to be concerned about the outgassing of the vinyl wallpaper. I wouldn’t use it.

There are very few resources for non-plastic wallcovering. See Debra’s List: Interior Decorating: Wallcovering for some possibilities.

There are many other ways to decorate walls without wallpaper, such as with paint effects and stencils. Browse through a paint effects book as see what you can do. All those effects can be done with low-VOC and natural paints.

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Question from Bev

Debra, I went to my local health food store and ask if they carried Bon Ami . The lady that was at the customer service said they didn’t carry it because it wasn’t a healthy product. she said Mrs. Meyers is a better one to use. Do you know anything about this ?

Debra’s Answer

By what logic !??!?!?! Even Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser is a simple product with few basic “whole” natural ingredients that has multiple cleaning purposes and comes in a cardboard container. Mrs. Meyers has single-purpose products, made from manufactured ingredients that are not all natural, and come in plastic bottles.

This is just another example of uninformed sales people giving out wrong information.

Go ask her WHY she thinks Mrs. Meyers is healthier.

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Question from EF

I have recently began attempting to convert to all natural products for my home as well as my personal hygiene. It really bothers me that everything is packaged in plastics. I was wondering if there are any alternatives and if you purchase your dish detergents, laundry powders, shampoos, conditioners, cosmetics, etc. in plastics? I have not found any sold in glass anywhere.

EF, Abingdon VA

Debra’s Answer

I agree with you. It bothers me too.

I do buy things in plastic packaging all the time, though I wish I had an alternative. I do put them in the recycling. This is better than sending them to the landfill, but not the best for the environment, which would be to have them biodegrade and return their elements to the ecosystem.

You will probably not find any of the products you mention sold in glass, for two reasons. One is safety. Glass breaks easily. And the other is that plastic is lighter, so it costs less to ship (and does save on the pollution that contributes to global warming). But this is shortsighted thinking, because it doesn’t look at all the effects throughout the lifecycle of the product.

Many green companies do consider their packaging as well as their products, so it would be more likely that you would find good packages containing the products sold on Debra’s List.

It’s also important to keep in mind that any product is a combination of both product and package and it is possible to have a green product in a not-so-good package and a not-so-good product in a green package. For example, non-organic, highly sugared cereals are now sold in recycled paperboard boxes.

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Question from VRL

Debra,

We are moving into a new home and need to replace all the carpet and padding in the upstairs portion of the house.

What are the low or no VOC alternatives?

Where do we find them?

Are they more expensive than standard carpeting?

Thank you.

Debra’s Answer

You’ll find them at DEBRA’S LIST: Flooring. The Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Carpets has a list of brand name synthetic carpets that have low VOCs. They are less expensive than natural fiber carpets.

But I still want to encourage you to choose something other than carpet if you possibly can. They harbor dust, mold, insects, and toxic rug shampoo residues. Carpet of any kind is not my #1 choice for a healthy floor.

There’s lots more on carpets in my book Home Safe Home.

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Question from Laura

Do you have any suggestions for non-chemical treatment for smoke damage from a house fire? Lots of fresh air and vacuuming have helped but I’m still definitely breathing smoky air.

Debra’s Answer

AT HOME WITH DEBRA: Removing Smoke from our House has some links that cover this subject.

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Question from Jim Thurber

I need to know if ethyl mercaptan can be transferred from the field guys, delivering the propane to residential units, to the office carpeting if they walk through the office after a days work. I would presume they sometimes will get a small blast after removing the valves or it may just transfer to their clothing from handling the equipment. Is there a protocol that propane drivers use when ending the day, such as change clothes at the yard. Are there any internet sites that speak exclusively to this matter. Are there any folks reading this that have actual experience working with propane delivery. All your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from Terry

My daughter recently returned from Iraq with blemishes on her once beautiful, flawless skin. I made her some exfoliant with baking soda and sea salt but it didn’t help. She said most of the women who return from the middle east end up with acne.

PROACTIV is heavily marketed but I researched all of the ingredients and was shocked. It seems most of the treatments ALL have parabens and other toxic ingredients.

A website Acne Skin Guide.com recommended PROACTIV, which leads me to believe they are ‘connected’ to Proactiv. Apparently, this toxic mix is highly effective. To me, it just isn’t worth the risk.

What is an effective but SAFE product or remedy?

Debra’s Answer

I haven’t researched natural products for acne, but I’m sure that my readers will respond to this.

I do know from my own personal experience that acne can be caused by a variety of factors. I had horrible acne as a teenager, but now I have flawless skin.

Acne can actually be caused by a buildup of toxic chemicals in the skin. The fact that your daughter’s skin began to break out in Iraq and she says other women have the same problem leads me to believe there is some environmental factor.

So a cleansing diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and pure water would help more than a topical product.

The topical treatment that helped me the most was applying a clay mask, as the clay pulls toxins out of your skin. You can get clay masks at any natural food store. Just get the plain clay, mix it with water, and apply. Leave it on til it dries and wash it off with warm water. Another good mask is oatmeal. Just just regular oatmeal, and apply with the same instructions. If it’s too think, put the oatmeal in the blender and whiz it to make a powder before mixing with water.

There’s a website at www.bestacnereview.com/ that compares quite a few acne products. Proactiv is down at the bottom of the list, but there are many natural products you can explore, including a book on natural acne treatments.

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